Mike Dolce: Ronda Should Fight Joanna Jedrzejczyk Not Cris Cyborg

With Cris “Cyborg” Justino as part of the UFC now, the possibility of pitting her against former UFC Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey is greater than ever.

Fans of women’s mixed martial arts are no doubt licking their lips over this potential superfight. Without any exaggeration whatsoever, it could be the biggest match in the history of women’s MMA.

But one person who is not excited about the former bantamweight champion going toe-to-toe against Cyborg is Ronda’s nutritionist, Mike Dolce.

In an interview with MMA Junkie, Dolce said of Rousey that expecting her to face Cyborg, who reigns over the division above Ronda’s, would be holding the former bantamweight champion to a sexist double standard.

Why would Ronda, who walks around in the off-season at a healthy (148 to 152 pounds), why would she look to give such advantages to an athlete that walks around at 175 pounds? No male on the planet would do such a thing, and I think it’s disrespectful and a double-standard for the public to assume Ronda should.

Instead, Dolce suggested a superfight in the strawweight division against champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk would be a far better idea.

As Ronda’s weight-management coach, I see Ronda being a 125-pound athlete, if that weight class existed. Based on her current body weight, and how compliant she’s been to her lifestyle, Ronda can make 125 pounds. That might be where the most exciting matchups would actually take place. Can you imagine Ronda versus Joanna Jedrzejczyk, who’s always talked about moving up to 125?

As this fight neither has the history nor animosity of a fight against Cyborg, it is doubtful Rousey vs Jedrzejczyk would garner the same press attention or views as a match between her and Justino.

But if there is one thing Ronda has proven, it’s that she can sell fights; and a fight between her and Jedzejczyk would undoubtedly headline or co-headline a major card.

Chris Zahar is the editor of the Jiu-Jitsu Times. He is a professional journalist living in Taiwan, and his work has appeared in magazines such as Yahoo Sports and FHM. He is a second-degree black belt in karate and a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He can be reached on Twitter at @ChrisZahar.